Monday, November 17, 2014

Week in Review Nov 10, 2014 - Nov 16, 2014

[Personal Note first, Elder Holmes received his packages. ALL 3 of them that have been sent since Sept 29. Two from his parents and one from his grandparents. All showed up last week. Miracle since they were all sent at 3 different times. This is what he said about them:] I would love to thank all of you for the packages and stuff, It all made it and wasn't broken, but only one of the chick-fil-a bags exploded within and the whole bag was compromised, but nothing else was touched... Woo hoo for Ziplocs! Thanks for all the stuff, and the photo of the Jeep so I can show that to my friends... Seriously thank you!

Well, hello All! All is good here, we have a bit of fear because our Transfers are coming up this Wednesday and as of right now we have no clue who is going and or where... So here is for optimism. I received a total of 3 packages from home which all made it, 2 from my Parents, and 1 from my grandparents with a letter... Thank You! [I was beyond excited to hear that he received not only the one from Sept that we sent but two others. Wow! Miracle! Prayers answered.] If any of you wish to send letters see below because My mom knows the correct information that will make it to me.

For Letters:

TO: Presidente David Y. Henderson

Elder Andrew Holmes

Misión Perú Huancayo

Jirón Cucso #278

Huancayo

Junín

PERÚ

For Packages: Go through US MAIL. 4 lbs for about $25.

TO: Presidente David Y. Henderson

Misión Perú Huancayo

Jirón Cucso #278

Huancayo

Junín

PERÚ

Click on picture to see the example better

Same address as above, but in the return address, you MUSTput Elder Andrew Holmes in the return address. You still put your address for return, but his name MUST be in the return address not in the TO: Field. Otherwise, the Mission President must obtain a Power of Attorney to open the package without his name on it, to find out who it belongs to. Crazy, I know. Any questions, please comment and we can help you out. Here is the PERU REQUIREMENTS for mailing. Please follow those guidelines. Most Post Offices do not carry the Priority Mail Padded Flat Rate Envelop. So follow that link to order them. They are FREE.

A note of service I would like to include but not sure which day it was. [Now I read this and reread it and I am not sure but this must be a cultural service. I can't tell if the man was already dead or not. I am going to email Andrew to see if he can clear this up.] We passed a man who was being carried in a bag by 4 elderly women which had to go to the eternal staircase to the top houses in the area.... The Man was injured but I don't know what or how... So as missionaries, we helped out, and I took the front... It was a very humbling experience to carry another man not only in a bag, but Up 300 stairs and for about 1/4 mile total up the mountain where there isn't a path... Always remember who we serve in the end... it is not our fellow man, but it is he who created man.

And so with that, here is my journal entries for this week!

November 10th, 2014Well, its P Day once again! Today we had the opportunity to "Eat Out" so in typical Peruvian Style I branched out an my flavor pallet. I ordered Chicken. But here is the shocker, it was BBQ with French Fries! I even ordered Yucca Fries (Which grows wild in California) and it was probably the best thing I have ever eaten as a fry, also sprinkles with sugar. So worth the 4 soles for just the yucca fries.

After all this we had a multi-zone Play day in a recreational area right next to a large stream. The location of this is important because we all have a million bug bites (Even with everyones bug spray) It is inevitable, when there is literally thousands...Anyways, we played some soccer and Volleyball which is where most of the North Americans flocked to because any game we normally play with other local missionaries is soccer, so this was an awesome change! I have sent some group photos of my Zone Afterwards...

November 11th, 2014

Tuesday, which means District Meeting, and English Class. Woo hoo! This week I focused on simple sentences like, ...I like this food... or ...I want to buy Ice Cream... Because I have found it common for those learning English to want to say ...I like me her jacket...Because the word I like translates to (me gusta) which actually means (this pleases me) which obviously can show some confusion. And it is really funny when they continue to say ...I like me... (Hesitation) and then the object... Its hilarious.

Later in the evening, we had seminary where I received a seminary manual for Book of Mormon in Spanish which includes all my diagrams for Book of Mormon in Spanish! Now my job is to find a color copy machine to make new glue ins! [Glue Ins are great. They are quotes or commentary from General Authorities and you 'glue them in' near the scripture it is talking about. It gives your scriptures additional insight while you read or study your scriptures. Very handy.]

November 12th, 2014

Another Baptism today! I came more prepared for this one with LDS Hymns in Spanish to sing with, (No functioning piano) and Mormon messages... Attached is photos of both the ward and me and my companion with Hna. Yuli, our new convert. I just love baptisms so much because it also gives us a chance to recall and review our eternal covenants that we have made with God.

November 13th, 2014

So, we have divisions today, so I was with Zone Leader Elder John (from Idaho) in Amarillis to for today and tomorrow morning. All was good, and it was a very nice time to talk with another North American who is totally adjusted (As much as possible) and was able to share a bunch of insight with me that I really appreciated, because lets face it.... There are questions and things that you just need to relate with on your own language and culture to understand the proper point of view. So, with these divisions I also ate with another Pensionista, which this food was also really really good as well... I will take it any chance I get because I know, that one day... I will have a pensionista [cook] where they won't be a very good cook, and then they wont stop cooking....

November 14th, 2014

Divisions ended this morning, which made me kinda sad, but back to the grind. Not much happened today, our pension [cook] is traveling to Lima, so we had a substitute pension, and I am realizing that they name their foods kinda funny, but it matches the description. We name it like the Entre with the side dish... Chicken with Rice right? Well... here it is exactly like they say it... Rice with Chicken, and it totally works... Always so much rice! But i am still good with it... For now...

November 15th, 2014

Ok, not our normal day for service, but this was a good one. Today we and another from the ward helped prepare an area for a new foundation for a part of somebodies house... Tons of work for a small part, but totally worth it (Mosiah 2:17) In typical Peruvian style, we were fed (which was OK, our Pension/Bishop approved the food) and the mother of the house (which totally reminds me of Mami from Holiday Inn) [She was the cook for Bing Crosby in that movie.] asked me if I wanted more food... I finished First.. That was my first mistake. I said hesitantly but graciously Oh, just a bit more potatoes please" That was my downfall. The Dish returns with a full meal all OVER AGAIN. My Gringo stomach hurt afterwards, but I was successful! I think I ate 8 full potatoes, 2 bowls of soup, and Onion, and 2 parts of a chicken. I don't know which parts... No More food for now...

November 16th, 2014

Today was church, and meetings galore, which included a Broadcast for the Area, Something Like a Leadership Training Broadcast for the North Western Part of South America... Focusing mainly on our Ward Council Meetings and how they are suppose to run, and how they can be improved. All the members and samples were from South America... Anyways, We also met the 1st Counselor of President Henderson and had a meeting as a zone with him before our Ward Council Training Meeting...